The present invention relates to a wallbox dimmer switch, and more particularly to a wallbox dimmer switch having a pushbutton on-off switch.
Wall mountable load control devices for controlling an electrical load, such as a lamp, are well known. Known devices include conventional toggle switches which provide basic on/off control of an electrical load. Known devices also include dimmers which provide variation in the power supplied to a lamp. Known devices also include dimmer switches which provide independent on/off control and variable powering of a lamp.
Known wall mountable load control devices are typically mounted in an electrical wallbox and covered by a wallplate. The wallplate includes an opening that provides access to the actuator, or actuators, of the load control device. The device may be adapted to be compatible with an industry standard wallplate or may require a customized wallplate. Adapting the device for use with a standard wallplate provides for more universal application of the device. Standards published by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), and approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Publication No. ANSI/NEMA WD 6-2001, recognizes at least two principal standard wallplate dimensions for wall mounted switch devices. Arguably the most recognized of these are the wallplate dimensions for xe2x80x9ctoggle switch devicesxe2x80x9d (Page 7 of ANSI/NEMA WD 6-2001) that include a rectangular opening for a conventional on/off toggle switch. The NEMA standard also identifies dimensions of a wallplate for xe2x80x9crectangular face devicesxe2x80x9d (Page 5 of ANSI/NEMA WD 6-2001). The wallplate for xe2x80x9crectangular face devicesxe2x80x9d includes a much larger rectangular opening than the wallplate for xe2x80x9ctoggle switch devicesxe2x80x9d. This wallplate is also sometimes referred to in the art as a xe2x80x9cdesignerxe2x80x9d wallplate.
Examples of devices combining on/off and dimmer functions, commonly referred to as dimmer switches, are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,383 to Tucker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,231 to Flowers et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,919 to Hanna et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,930 to Rowen. Each of these patents is commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The ""383 Tucker dimmer switch combines a dimmer slide with a pushbutton on/off switch. The dimmer slide operates in a relatively wide slot provided in a frame plate and is positioned vertically above the pushbutton actuator for the on/off switch. The pushbutton actuator extends through a second opening in the frame plate. The ""383 dimmer switch is adapted to be used with the NEMA standard wallplate for xe2x80x9crectangular face devicesxe2x80x9d.
The Flowers ""231 dimmer switch includes a toggle actuator for actuating an on/off switch. The toggle actuator is positioned beside a dimmer actuator in which variations of the dimmer actuator include a dimmer slide, a rotary member and dimmer up/down buttons. The ""231 dimmer switch is adapted to be used with the NEMA standard wallplate for xe2x80x9ctoggle switch devicesxe2x80x9d.
Hanna ""919 shows, in FIG. 1, a dimmer switch that is adapted for use with a wallplate having a large rectangular opening resembling the NEMA standard wallplate for xe2x80x9crectangular face devicesxe2x80x9d. The switch includes an on/off switch actuator that presents a planar outer surface to a user of the switch. The on/off actuator is positioned adjacent a rocker dimmer actuator. The on/off actuator of the Hanna ""919 dimmer switch is relatively large and occupies a substantial middle portion of the wallplate. The switch also includes an LED array that extends along one side of the on/off actuator opposite the rocker dimmer actuator.
Rowen ""930 shows, in FIG. 1, a dimmer switch that includes an actuator having a planar outer surface for controlling an electronic touch switch. The planar actuator is located beside a dimmer actuator. The planar actuator for the touch switch extends substantially the entire height of the wallplate opening and for a majority of the width. The dimmer actuator operates vertically in a very narrow slot adjacent the touch actuator. Rowen ""930 states that the dimmer switch of FIG. 1 could be adapted by scaling down the planar actuator for use with the NEMA standard wallplate for xe2x80x9ctoggle switch devicesxe2x80x9d (see col. 4, lines 20-22).
Rowen ""930 shows, in FIGS. 5 and 5A, embodiments of dimmer switches in which the planar actuator is adapted for a mechanical switch to be received in a standard toggle switch wallplate opening along with a dimmer slide. In FIG. 5 of Rowen ""930, the slide is located beside the planar actuator and moves in an out with the planar actuator. In FIG. 5A of Rowen ""930, the dimmer slide is located within the on/off actuator. There is no teaching or suggestion in Rowen ""930 that the actuator for the switch be modified to present a curved outer surface to the user.
According to the present invention there is provided an electrical load control device compatible with a wallplate having an opening that has standard dimensions for toggle-type switch devices. The electrical load control device includes an actuator mounting frame having a substantially rectangular platform dimensioned for receipt within the standard toggle-type wallplate opening. The device includes a dimmer actuator that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel with respect to a first side of the platform.
The device further includes a pushbutton actuator for a switch having a user-engageable portion that extends adjacent the dimmer actuator, the user-engageable portion defining a surface having opposite end portions that is presented to a user. At least the end portions of the surface of the user-engageable portion are defined by a portion of a substantially prolate spheroid to provide for minimization of undesirable coupling between the actuation of the adjacent actuators of the electrical load control device.